Article dispenser



Nov. 8, 1949 J. R. ROGERS ARTICLE DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1948 fl M m M f M M W 0 M R 0 w H 0 M Q/ 0 J M @w M R 6 mw l i! QM. r a f w N 1i MM T m mm mu V nV Nov. 8, 1949 .1. R. ROGERS ARTICLE DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 25. 1948 Grim/awe Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE DISPENSER John R. Rogers, Waco, Tex.

Application October 25, 1948, Serial No. 56,365

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to article dispensers for repeatedly ejecting elongated articles, such as cigarettes, therefrom one at a, time, and particularly concerns dispensers of the type in which the cigarettes or other articles are ejected in a lengthwise direction.

While dispensers of this general type have heretofore been known, the ejection means for same have comprised merely linearly movable slides having manual engagement portions necessarily disposed closely adjacent the dispensing opening.

An important object of my invention is to provide such a dispenser embodying a novel form of ejection mechanism composed primarily of rotary or swingable parts arranged to guide an ejector element in a linear path.

Further objects are: to provide such a dispenser in which the ejection mechanism may be actuated manually from a location entirely remote from the ejection opening, thus permitting the dispenser to be housed in a statuette, or figure of any desired type, and eject cigarettes through any suitable opening therein with a novel and striking effect; to provide ejection mechanism in which the various rotary parts thereof are moved in parallel planes and may thus be compactly housed Within a relatively thin or narrow section of a hopper containing a supply of cigarettes or other articles, without materially diminishing the capacity of said hopper; to provide novel mechanism for successively feeding the articles into position for ejection in coordinated relation to the action of the ejection mechanism, to efficiently avoid jamming or'obstructing said mechanism; and to provide such a dispenser in which the various working parts thereof may be constructed of relatively light thin sheet metal parts, by economical metal stamping and bending operations.

In this application I show and describe only the preferred embodiment of my invention, simply by way of illustration of the practice thereof, as by law required. However, I recognize that the invention is capable of other and different embodiments and that the several details thereof may be modified in various ways without departing from my invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description herein are to "be considered as merely illustrative of the invention, and not as exclusive.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a substantially actual size vertical cross-section through a cigarette dis- 2 ing taken on the line 1-! of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the various parts of the ejector mechanism in their relative positions at the end of the ejection stroke or phase;

Figure 2, a substantially actual size side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1, the base thereof being in vertical section and the several parts being in th positions shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3, a detail enlarged sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the hopper and ejection mechanism of the invention with the various parts as they appear when in inoperative position prior to an ejection stroke; and I Figure 4, a similarly enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, in the preferred embodiment of the invention therein shown, the dispenser of the invention is housed in any usual figurine, statuette or the like, such as a, likeness of a human skull C, to eject cigarettes through an opening such as formed by the mouth thereof.

Such a statuette or housing C, may be formed of any suitable material, such as plaster, metal, wood or the like, and is preferably mounted on a base B of any desired shape, which may be formed hollow to serve as a mounting and housing for parts of the manual actuating means associated with the dispenser,

The dispenser per se embodies a hopper, generally designated H, having relatively spaced sides I and 2, ends 3 and 4, and a bottom 5, for holding a supply of cigarettes or other elongated articles. Such a hopper may advantageously be formed of sheet metal by usual sheet metal working processes.

The hopper bottom 5 is formed with a horizontally disposed linear ejection trough 6 extending between the ends thereof and of a size to receive a single cigarette or article A, as shown in Figure 1. In the illustrated embodiment the trough 6 is formed as an indentation or channel in the bottom 5.

An ejection opening 1 is formed through the front of the hopper H and the housing or casing C, preferably through the mouth of'the skull or casing C, so that ejected cigarettes will issue from the mouth of the skull C and thus give a rather startling and novel appearance.

In order to permit access to the interior of the hopper H for replenishment of the cigarette supply therein, I prefer to form the skull or figure C 3 with a removable portion or lid L consisting of the crown of the skull in the instant embodiment, which seats over and normally covers the open upper end of the hopper H.

Mounted in the hopper H on one side of the trough 6 for swinging movement about a horizontal axis 8 substantially parallel to said trough is an inclined article chute 9 which functions to automatically feed successive cigarettes or articles A into the trough 6. This chute 9 normally slopes downwardly from its axis 8 toward the trough, as in Figure 4, with its lower edge portion preferably curved to present a smoothly rounded article engaging surface II] in substantial vertical registry with the adjacent side of the trough 6.

The chute axis 8 may be defined by a horizontal pin having its opposite ends supported by the respective opposite ends I and 2 of the hopper, the upper edge portion of the chute being curled therearound to form a hinge connection I2, as shown, to permit of the desired swinging movement.

Disposed above the other edge or side of the trough 6 in relatively spaced relation to the article engaging surface Ill of the chute is a vertical partition I3, best shown in Figure 1, which preferably extends to the top of the hopper to maintain the cigarettes therein out of contact with the moving parts of the ejector mechanism.

It will be seen that the partition I3 and the article engaging surface I of the chute together define a throat or opening of such size as to normally permit the passage of a single cigarette at a time from the chute 9 into the trough 6, when the chute is in its lowermost position as in Figure 4. Upward swinging movement of the chute will bring the surface In toward the partition I3 thereby constricting the throat or space between said partition and surface sufficiently to prevent the passage of a cigarette therethrough. At the same time any cigarette that may be disposed in said throat will be pressed against the partition l3 and rolled slightly'up said partition by the upward swinging of the chute, thereby raising said cigarette as well as the other cigarettes within the hopper H from a cigarette resting in the trough 6, all as illustrated in Figure 1.

The ejector mechanism associated with the hopper and trough 6 is preferably located between the partition l3 and the hopper side I, across said trough from the chute 9, and if desired the hopper side I may serve as a mounting plate on which the various parts of the ejection mechanism are assembled in operative relation. Such mechanism comprises a main link I4 the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the mounting plate or hopper side I, as by a rivet I5, for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the trough 6 and about the fixed axis of said rivet I5.

Pivotally connected to the upper end of said main link I4 for swinging movement parallel thereto, as by a rivet or pin I6, is an ejector arm I! which has a depending portion I8 of substantially equal length to the main link, a laterally offset ejector I9 being rigidly carried at the lower end of said arm I I for movement within and lengthwise of the trough 6. It will be noted that the ejector I9 projects beneath the horizontal lower edge of the partition I3, said edge being spaced somewhat above the trough bottom to avoid interference with the movement of said ejector I9.

With the foregoing arrangement of the main link I4 and ejector arm 11, it has been found that if the main link is swung within a range of ap- 4 proximately thirty degrees on either side of its vertical position and the ejector I9 is at the same time restricted to horizontal or linear movement along the trough 6, various points along the center line of said arm above the pivot l6 thereof will travel in arcuate paths of substantially constant radius respectively concentric to fixed axes located in vertical alignmentwith the fixed axis I5 of the main link.

Thus I have found that by a suitable guide link 2! pivotally connected at one end as at 22 to such a point on the upper end or projection 20 of the arm ii, and pivotally connected at the other end, as at 23, to the fixed axis of rotation of said point, with the distance between said connections 22 and 23 equal to the radius of swinging movement of said points, the ejector I9 will be guided in a linear path in the trough 6, responsive to simultaneous rotary movement of the links Hi and H in the same direction, within the limits above mentioned.

Such a point 22 and its fixed rotational axis 23, as well as the radius of the link 2I connecting said point to its axis, may be readily ascertained either through usual engineering calculations or by actually plottin the paths of various points on the center line of the upper end or projection 28 of the ejector arm as the ejector I9 is moved in a horizontal path within the trough 6, selecting one such point which is found to trace a path of substantially uniform radius, and locating the center of curvature of such a path in vertical alignment with the axis I5 of the main link.

It will be seen that when the ejector I9 is located at the center of the trough 5 the arm I! and links M and 2| will all be in vertical or dead center position, with the pivotal axes i5, i6, 22 and 23 all in vertical alignment. At this dead center position it would normally be possible for one of the links M or 2| to reverse its direction of rotary movement and permit deviation of the ejector I9 from a straight line path, unless the two links Ill and 2i are connected in some manner for rotary movement in the same direction.

To this end, arcuate racks or gear segments 24 and 25 are fixed to said links I4 and 2| respectively concentric with their fixed rotational axes I5 and 23, and a rotary coordinating gear or element 26 is mounted on the hopper side I for rotary movement about a fixed axis 21 in mesh with both of said gear segments 2% and 25.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the links l4 and 2i are formed of relatively thin sheet metal and incorporate the gear segments 24 and 25 respectively as integral parts of their constructions. For example, the main link I4 has its upper portion offset relative to the lower end thereof in spaced relation to the mounting plate I, the connecting portion between said relatively offset portions being of arcuate conformation concentric to the axis I5 and perforated at regular intervals, as shown, to function as a rack or gear segment 24- in mesh with the coordinating element 26. Similarly, the lower end of the guide link H is formed with an arcuate edge having a series of inwardly bent gear teeth projecting therefrom to form the gear segment 25 in mesh with the coordinating element 26.

Inasmuch as the links M and 2| will be required to rotate at different speeds to move the ejector arm ll through the desired path, the coordinating element 25 preferably is provided with gear portions 23 and 29 of relatively different diameters meshing with said respective gear segmerits 24 and 25, these diameters being chosenin accordance with known methods to produce rotary movement of the links M and 2| at the desired relative rates.

Preferably resilient means are provided for urging the ejector toward inoperative position at the rear end of trough 6 remote from the opening 3, as in Figure 3. In the instant embodiment such means comprises a usual torsion spring 39 which has its medial looped portion 3| fulcrumed to the mounting plate or Side l, as by annularly arranged mounting lug-s 3| secured to said side (see Figure 4), its fixed end 32 abutting against the front end 3 of the hopper and its movable end being connected to the coordinating element 28 at a location eccentric to the rotational axis thereof, as at 33 (see Figure 3). This connection 33 between the coordinating element 26 and spring 30 may be in the form of an integral bracket carried by the element 26 and operatively receivin the movable end of the spring.

Manual actuating means for the ejector may comprise any suitable mechanism operable from the hopper exterior for producing partial rotation of the coordinating element 26 in a direction to cause an ejection stroke of the ejector i9 along the trough 6. A suitable form of actuating mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a lever 34 disposed within the hollow base B and having a fixed end fulcrumed to said base, as at 35. An actuating button 36 carried at the movable end of the lever projects upwardly and is vertically movable through a conforming bore or hole 31 in the top of the base.

The medial portion of the lever 34 is operatively connected to the coordinating element 26 by a suitable pitman or connecting rod 38 which is freely slidably disposed through the bottom of the hopper H and the top of base B respectively, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. The upper end of this pitman 38 is pivotally connected to the coordinating element 25 at a location eccentric to the axis of said element by a usual crank pin or rivet 39, while the lower end of said pitman is connected to the lever 35 in any manner which will permit a slight angular movement or play between said pitrnan and lever. To this end the lower end of the pitman may be formed to define an opening it which loosely receives the lever 34.

Thus it will be seen that downward swinging movement of the lever 34, as caused by pressure on the button 36, will be transmitted by the pitman to the rotary element 28 to cause rotary actuating movement thereof and of the links 14 and 2!, thus producing an ejection stroke of the arm 11.

Means for raising the chute 9 during the operative or ejection stroke of the arm H, and lowering same on the return stroke of said arm comprises a chute actuating lever 4| which is pivotally connected to the hopper side I for swinging movement parallel to the coordinating element 26 about a fixed axis 42. Such an axis 42 may be provided by a usual rivet.

The free end of this lever 4| is connected to the chute 9 in a manner to cause raising and lowering thereof with said free end. A suitable connection between the chute 9 and lever 41 may be provided by a crank arm 43 integrally carried by an upwardly turned end wing 44 of the chute. This crank arm 43' projects through and is vertically movable relative to the partition I3, and is loosely received in an opening 45 in the free endof the lever 4|.

A cam connection is provided between the coordinating element 25 and the chute lever 4| to cause the desired movement of said lever in coordinated relation to the action of the ejection mechanism aforementioned.

To establish such a cam connection, the lever 4| may be provided with a medially disposed preferably integral cam follower or pin 46 which projects transversely therefrom and is slidably received in a cam slot formed. in the coordinating element 2 6, the said slot preferably having a radially inclined portion 41 to cause upward movement of the lever and chute 9 to the desired height during the early stage of the ejection stroke of the ejector l9, and an arcuate portion 48 concentric with the rotational axis of element 26 to maintain the lever 4| in fixed raised position during movement of the cam follower 46 therein.

In the operation of the invention, after placing a supply of cigarettes in the hopper H, one of these cigarettes will be permitted to pass between the chute 9 and the partition l3 into operative position in the ejector trough 6, with one end adjacent the ejector H.

In order to actuate the device to cause ejection of a cigarette, the button 36 may be manually depressed to cause rotary movement of the coordinating element 26 and links M and 2| in a direction to produce an ejection stroke of the ejector arm I1 and ejector 19 carried thereby, the ejector l9 engaging the adjacent end of the cigarette and shoving same lengthwise of the trough through the ejection opening 1, where its exterior end may be readily grasped and the cigarette removed for use.

- During the first stage of the ejection stroke, the cam connection between the coordinating element 26 and the chute actuating lever 4| causes the chute 9 to swing upwardly, thereby raising all of the cigarettes except the one being ejected to prevent their weight upon and engagement with the ejected cigarette from hindering the ejection thereof.

Upon completion of the ejection stroke and release of the pressure on the button 36, the action of the spring 30 on the coordinating element 26 will rotate same in a direction to return the lever 34 and button 35 to raised inoperative position. Such rotation of the element 25 will at the same time produce a return stroke of the links 14, 2|, and ejector arm H, to the inoperative position shown in Figures 3 and 4, with the ejector 19 at the rear end of the trough 6.

During the first part of the return stroke the coaction of the cam slot and the follower 46 will be such as to maintain the chute 9 in raised position, thereby preventing the passage of cigarettes into the trough with consequent obstruction of the ejector on its return stroke. After the ejector l9 has neared the end of its return stroke, the cam follower will enter the radially inclined portion 41 of the cam slot and thereby permit the chute to be lowered. However, the chute is not lowered into the trough until the ejector has substantially completed its return stroke.

At this time, the action of gravity will cause a fresh cigarette to roll down the chute 9 and into the trough 6, whereby the device is placed in condition for ejection of said iresh cigarette in the manner above mentioned.

Thus the invention is operable to repatedly eject cigarettes, one after the other, as long as the supply of cigarettes within the hopper lasts. The arrangement of the various parts and their coordinated operation, as above mentioned, results in an ejector which is singularly free from jamming, and which handles cigarettes or other delicate articles without danger of mashing or damaging same.

I claim:

1. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a supply of cigarettes, the bottom of said hopper being formed to define a horizontal ejection trough, said hopper being formed with a discharge opening in alignment with said trough, ejection mechanism comprising a pair of rigid links pivotally mounted in said hopper for swinging movement in parallel vertical planes about relatively vertically spaced fixed axes, an ejector arm carried by and pivotally connected to said respective links at relatively spaced locations eccentric to said fixed axes, and an ejector carried by said arm for lengthwise movement in said trough responsive to rotary movement of said links in the same direction, gear segments fixed to said respective links concentrically with their respective fixed axes, and a coordinating gear element rotatably mounted between and meshing with both said gear segments to actuate said links and coordinate the swinging movement thereof, resilient means cooperating with said ordinating element to normally urge said ejector toward inoperative position in said trough remote from said discharge opening, and manually operable means for rotating said element to cause operative movement of said ejector toward said discharge opening, in combination with an inclined cigarette chute mounted in said hopper on one side of said trough for swinging movement about an axis parallel thereto, to control the passage of cigarettes into said trough, a partition plate being disposed across said trough from said hopper to define a throat adapted to be restricted by upward swinging movement of said hopper, and means for swinging said chute upwardly during movement of said ejector toward said discharge opening.

2. A cigarette dispenser as described in claim 1, in which the chute actuating mechanism comprises an actuating lever mounted in said hopper for movement about a stationary fulcrum, a cam follower carried by said lever, said coordinating element being formed with a cam slot operatively receiving said follower and arranged to swing said lever upwardly responsive to movement of said element in a direction to produce operative movement of said ejector, said chute being connected to said lever for swinging movement therewith.

3. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a supply of cigarettes, the bottom of said hopper being formed to define a horizontal ejection trough, said hopper being formed with a discharge opening in alignment with said trough, ejection mechanism disposed in said hopper to eject cigarettes in a lengthwise direction from said trough through said discharge opening, a rotary coordinating gear member controlling the action of said ejection mechanism, a cigarette chute disposed in said hopper for swinging movement to control the successive passage of cigarettes from said hopper into said trough, and actuating means for said chute comprising a chute actuating lever member mounted in said hopper for swinging movement about a stationary fulcrum located adjacent one end of said member, the free end of said member being connected to said chute for swinging movement therewith, a cam follower carried by one of said members, the other of said memb rs being formed wi h a cam slot operatively receiving said follower, and arranged to swing said lever member upwardly responsive to rotary movement of said rotary member in a direction to actuate said ejector mechanism.

4. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a supply of cigarettes, the bottom of said hopper being formed to define a horizontal ejection trough, said hopper being formed with a discharge opening in alignment with said trough, ejection mechanism comprising a pair of rigid links pivotally mounted in said hopper for swinging movement in parallel vertical planes about relatively vertically spaced fixed axes, an

ejector arm carried by and pivotally connected to said respective links at relatively spaced locations eccentric to said fixed axes, and an ejector carried by said arm for lengthwise movement in said trough responsive to rotary movement of said links in the same direction, gear segments fixedly connected to said respective links concentrically with their respective fixed axes, and a coordinating gear element rotatably mounted between and meshing with said gear segments to actuate said links, resilient means cooperating with said coordinating element to normally urge said ejector toward inoperative position in said trough remote from said discharge opening, and manually operable means for rotating said element to cause operative movement of said ejector toward said discharge opening, in combination with means operable toblock the passage of cigarettes from said hopper into said trough, a lever fulcrumed in said hopper and operatively connected to said means to actuate same responsive to movement of said lever, and a cam connection between said lever and said coordinating element, to cause actuation of said blocking means during operative movement of said ejector.

5. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a supply of cigarettes, a horizontal ejection trough disposed in said hopper, ejection mechanism comprising a pair of rigid links pivotally mounted in said hopper for swinging movement about relatively vertically spaced fixed axes,

an ejector arm carried by and pivotally connected to said respective links at points spaced from their fixed axes, an ejector carried at one end of said arm for lengthwise movement in said trough responsive to rotary movement of said links in the same direction, gear segments fixedly connected to said respective links concentrically with their respective fixed axes, a coordinating gear element rotatably mounted between and mesh- Y ing with said gear segments to coordinate the movement of said links, and means for actuating said ejection mechanism to move cigarettes longitudinally through said trough, in combination with means operable t block the passage of cigarettes from said hopper into said trough, a lever fulcrumed in said hopper and operatively connected to said means to control same responsive to movement of said lever, and a cam connection between said lever and said coordinating element to cause operation of said blocking means during operative movement of said ejector.

6. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a supply of cigarettes, the bottom of said hopper being formed to define a horizontal ejection trough, said hopper being formed with a discharge opening in alignment with said trough, ejection mechanism comprising a pair of rigid links pivotally mounted in said hopper for swinging movement in parallel vertical planes 316 about relatively vertically spaced fixed axes, an

ejector arm carried by and pivotally connected to i said respective links at locations spaced from their said axes, and an ejector carried at the lower end of said arm for lengthwise movement in said trough, gear segments fixed to said respective links concentrically with their axes, a coordinating gear element rotatably mounted between and meshing with both of said segments to actuate said links and cause unidirectional movement thereof, resilient means cooperating with said coordinating element to normally urge said ejector toward inoperative position in said trough remote from said discharge opening, and manually operable means for rotating said element to normally urge said ejector toward said discharge opening.

7. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a supply of cigarettes, said hopper having a discharge opening communicating with the interior thereof, a horizontal trough disposed in said hopper in alignment with said opening, ejection mechanism comprising a pair of rigid links pivotally mounted in said hopper for swinging movement about relatively vertically spaced parallel axes, an ejector arm carried by and pivotally connected to said respective links at cations spaced from their said axes, and an ejector carried by the said arm for lengthwise movement in said trough during rotary movement of said links, gear segments fixed to said respective links concentrically with their axes, a coordinating gear rotatably mounted in said hopper in mesh with both of said segments to cause.

unidirectional movement of said links, resilient means associated with said mechanism to normally maintain same in inoperative position with said ejector retracted from said opening, and manually operable means for rotating said coordinating gear to urge said ejector toward said discharge opening.

8. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper for holding a supply of cigarettes, said hopper having a discharge opening communicating with the interior thereof, a horizontal trough disposed in said hopper in alignment with said opening, ejection mechanism comprising a pair of rigid links pivotally mounted in said hopper for swinging movement about relatively vertically spaced parallel axes, an ejector arm pivotally connected to and carried by said respective links, an ejector carried at one end of said arm for lengthwise movement in said trough during unidirectional rotary movement of said links, gear segments fixed to said respective links concentrically with their axes, a coordinating gear rotatably mounted in said hopper in mesh with both of said segments to cause unidirectional movement of said links, and manually operable means for rotating said gear to actuate said ejector.

9. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper formed with a discharge opening, a horizontal trough disposed in said hopper in alignment with said opening, ejection mechanism comprising a pair oi rigid links pivotally mounted in said hopper for swinging movement about relatively spaced axes disposed in a vertical plane extending transversely to said trough, an ejector arm pivotally connected at spaced locations to said respective links, one end of said arm being disposed for movement parallel to and closely adjacent said trough responsive to unidirectional rotary movement of said links, and an ejector carried at said end for lengthwise movement in said trough, in combination with means connecting said links for unidirectional rotary movement, and manually operable means for causing rotary movement of said links to actuate said ejector.

10. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper formed with a discharge opening, a horizontal trough disposed in said hopper in alignment with said opening, ejection mechanism comprising a pair of rigid links pivotally mounted in said hopper for swinging movement about relatively spaced axes disposed in a vertical plane transversely to said trough, an ejector arm pivotally connected at relatively spaced locations to said respective links, and an ejector carried by said arm for lengthwise movement in said trough.

11. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper formed with a discharge opening, a horizontal trough disposed in said hopper in alignment with said opening, a main link pivotally connected to said hopper at a location medially of the length of said trough for swinging movement parallel thereto, an ejector arm medially pivotally connected to said link and having a depending free end of equal length with said link, an ejector carried at said end for lengthwise movement in said trough, and a guide link connecting the upper end of said arm to said hopper for movement in an arc of such radius as will cause linear movement of said ejector lengthwise of said trough.

12. A cigarette dispenser comprising a hopper having a linear trough formed therein, a main link pivotally connected to said hopper at a location medially 0f the length of said trough for swinging movement parallel thereto, an ejector arm medially pivotally connected to the free end of said link and having a depending free end of equal length with said main link, an ejector being carried at said free end for lengthwise movement in said trough, and guide means confining the upper end of said arm to a path of movement to cause linear movement of said ejector lengthwise of said trough, responsive to rotary movement of said main link.

JOHN R. ROGERS.

No references cited, 

